Sports vs. Low-Impact Fitness Equipment

February 25, 2009 by  
Filed under Fitness and Exercise Equipment

Sports are a great way to develop physical fitness. No expensive fitness equipment is required. There is plenty of fresh air. You get a full physical fitness workout, as well as health fitness with their cardiovascular benefits.

However, sports can be quite strenuous to knees and ankles and may not be suitable for certain people, such as seniors or those who have recently given birth or had surgery. But do not fear, for low-impact fitness equipments are here!

Quite a few fitness equipment are available that can build one’s strength and coordination, improve one’s balance or optimize joint health, helping in both health and fitness. Lung capacity and cardiovascular health are also taken into consideration. The fitness machines mentioned below offer all of these health and physical fitness benefits through a low-impact exercise program, targeted towards those who simply do not have the will to currently do outdoor sports.

The ideal fitness machine for a full body physical fitness workout would be a rowing machine. This particular fitness machine provides users with great cardiovascular benefits with very little stress on the knees and ankles. In fact, this fitness machine improves the health of the joints by keeping muscles strong and supporting lubrication.

For a great cardio workout, stationary bikes or spinning cycles are the ideal fitness machines to use. Plus, they help in developing the hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes. They also help keep the knees stable and provide such benefits to ankle joints, as well.

If you want to buy fitness equipment at a low cost, a stair stepper is a great low-impact piece of fitness equipment and is one of the least expensive fitness machines that you can buy to add to your home exercise fitness equipment. Stair steppers keep knee-stabilizing quadriceps strong and shape up the calves, offering a good all-round cardio workout.

If you have more money to spend in buying fitness equipment, a treadmill would be a superb choice of low-impact fitness machines for you to consider. In general, walking is great for health and fitness. Treadmills will let you workout indoors with more safety and convenience and without worrying about sidewalks getting a little hard on your ankles and knees. It is most convenient for when you want to workout in the evenings.

The ultimate must-have fitness machine to add to your home exercise fitness equipment, however, would be an elliptical trainer. This fitness machine has stood the test of time and has proven to be more than just a physical fitness trend. Elliptical trainers help improve one’s coordination, develop both the leg and back muscles, as well as optimize one’s cardiovascular system. And, unlike outdoor sports, this particular fitness machine does not stress the joints whatsoever.

A weight machine is also an option when it comes to low-impact fitness equipment. Weight machines build strength, curb body fat, and burn calories. Although this type of fitness equipment may put some stress on the joints, it does not effect the knees as much as other fitness equipment does.

Finding low-impact fitness equipment may be on the top of someone’s fitness goals for a number of serious reasons. However, these should be taken into consideration by everyone who cares about their health and fitness. If you want to take better care of your joints and bones, in general, choose a piece of low-impact fitness equipment today to satisfy those physical fitness goals.